Under the Blue Moon
by storygirl1015
Summary: When young vampire prince Sasuke and timid werewolf princess Hinata meet for the first time, they are sure they'll be friends forever, unaware that their families have been sworn enemies for generations. Pulled apart by their disapproving families only to meet years later, will the blood of their ancestors prove to overpower them, or will love grow in the shadows of the night?
1. Prologue part one

**Authoress' Notes: I got this idea almost a year ago, although it **_really_** doesn't seem that long (man, time really **_does_** fly! And trust me; you don't always have to be having fun either) but it took me to while to post for a few reasons:**

**1. It was another one of those fics where the parts were split up and scattered in about five or six documents which I had saved under several different names for some reason (I vaguely recall being 3/4 asleep when I wrote some parts of certain chapters, so beware).**

**2. It took me forever to find the motivation to continue writing, especially when I had so many other stories I was working on at the time. I have a rare writing condition known as idea overload, the opposite of writer's block. Victims of this terrible condition are plagued with an almost constant overflow of ideas that come and go almost too fast to be processed and happen at random intervals. Trust me, those of you who often find yourselves stuck with writer's block and think having something like this sounds much better, you're wrong, it's really just as bad because there is so much flowing through your head at once that you can't really focus and most of what you get is missing vital components.**

**3. I'm… just lazy. There, I said it! Now can I have my prize like you promised?**

**4. It turned out so long, I didn't know whether to split it into multiple chapters, or leave it as one, long multi-part prelude.**

**Now, on to the dedications…**

**I'd like to start by saying the idea for this particular story came from my beloved grandpa, who was the key source of inspiration. He randomly told me a bizarre but interesting story yesterday (as he quite often does), about vampires and werewolves and how contrary to common beliefs, the only real way to kill a vampire is by a werewolf. Supposedly, it's some kind of old tale of lore, and I don't really remember the rest, but I think he's probably right since he likes that kind of sci-fi stuff and he's also a college professor with at least one of every kind of degree there is! So yeah, I'd say he's a credible source, before anyone asks.**

**Anyway, enough of that, on with the story!**

**I don't own Naruto****, because if I did, Sakura and Sasuke would be demon vessels too, Itachi and Deidara wouldn't have died and would have become good guys, the girls would be a whole lot tougher and have more screen time, and Sasuke would come back to the village, fall madly in love with Sakura or Hinata, and they'd reject his sorry ass so he'd know what it felt like, then gradually, fall in love with him as well (well, Hinata would, Sakura would finally get over her obsession with him and find someone better for her. I hate it when she's portrayed as a weak and lovesick fan girl even in Shippuuden, (sp?) that's still hopelessly in love with Sasuke after all the pain and suffering he put her through). Just to name a few changes…**

**Definite SASUxHINA, possible SAKUXNARU, and ITAxHINAXSASU? among others. Don't like, don't come complainin' to me 'cause I just told ya, so there!**

**P.S. The first few chapters posted will actually be part of the prologue, since it's extremely long and I don't want to shorten it anymore than I already have since I feel that all the information it contains is detrimental to the story as a whole. **

**Okay that's over now, so enjoy!! **

**Summary:** Their kinds were sworn enemies, destined to fight for dominance of the night and supreme control for all eternity. But neither of them could have known that werewolves and vampires were meant to utterly detest each other when they first met one fateful evening in the woods. And neither could have possibly predicted that by going against everything their ancestors' examples and forming a friendship, their lives, their worlds, and maybe even the course of destiny itself, would be drastically altered, and nothing left unchanged…

* * *

**Prologue**

**Part One:**

_The Hyuga and the Uchiha _

**S**ince the very beginning of time, and maybe even beyond that, werewolves and vampires had been sworn immortal enemies. No one knew the exact reasons for their grudges, not even the super-naturals themselves, only that they had always been at war and always would be until the end of time. Although all werewolves and vampires were born enemies, they usually would just avoid each other, only engaging each other in battle whenever they happened to cross paths, or it simply could not be avoided.

Except for the infamous Uchiha vampire clan and Hyuga werewolf pack, which were the most powerful families of their respective species, and made no attempts to hide their incredible abilities and immense strength from other immortals, so confident were they that their powers bested all others, and were only being used to the fullest when being flaunted around and used to antagonize each other. The two families were the greatest of their species; so, naturally, they'd be the greatest of rivals as well.

And so, the story begins, when the young heiress of the Hyuga clan and the younger prince of the Uchiha family coincidently met in the nearby forest that separated their families' territories, one fateful evening…

* * *

**H**e hung upside down from the branch of an old oak tree that had anchored itself close to the back of his house--- and was so tall, its highest branches even reached up past his bedroom window on the third floor of the compounds--- waiting restlessly.

He was up early, earlier than the rest of his family, anyway. They slept until sundown, when they would rouse from their chambers with their fangs exposed, fingernails long, sharp and deadly, and eyes glowing the same chilling crimson red as the blood they often feasted on. When they would suddenly spring to life, emerging in their true forms, ready to kill and hunt and make the most of the night's arrival. Despite what most people believed, they wouldn't perish if exposed to sunlight, but being that they were creatures of the night, the sun did drain a considerable amount of their energy, making them feel fatigued and sluggish, and so, most preferred to sleep the daylight hours away, choosing to roam about under the safe cover of the darkness.

But since he was young and the instinctual habits of his ancestors were still dormant deep within him, he did not feel the strain caused by the sun's influence, and his vigor was not restricted by its warm golden rays. He knew he had many more hours to wait, as it was barely even midday, and the compounds his clan had called home for generations now were quiet and still, as it always was at this time of day. But eventually, he grew bored of just hanging there, and decided to go and see if he could find something to amuse himself with until nightfall, when the compounds would be teeming with an overflow of activity and signs of life.

So he unlatched himself from the thick tree limb he'd been hanging on for the last five hours straight, allowing himself to begin his descent toward the ground, flipping skillfully at the last minute so that he landed nimbly on the solid earth with a dull thud. He set off in the direction of the stream that flowed nearby, thinking perhaps dipping his bare feet in the cool rushing water, letting it tickle the sensitive soles and gazing absently at the surface of the clear brook, so talkative and full of life, might be enough to sustain him until his family rose from their slumber, and the excitement that would begin in preparation for the great hunt that took place each time they did, started.

* * *

**E**lsewhere, on the edge of the other side of the forest, a young girl was keeping herself occupied by making a daisy-chain from the brilliantly colored wildflowers she'd spent all morning picking from the small field within the grounds of her family's expansive territory.

Her small fingers expertly threaded the stems of the beautiful plants together, slowly forming a complex pattern of loops, twists and ties as she wove the ends into what would become a makeshift tiara of color and beauty. She would place the delicate circlet on her head, dubbing herself princess of the flower fields and claiming for herself all its commonly disregarded sights, smells and sounds, that cast a sense of deep-rooted wonder on any who took the time to truly enjoy them. She hummed a happy little tune to herself as she went about stringing her crown, peacefully basking in the cheery noontime sunshine.

She had never understood why the majority of her family chose to stay indoors, seemingly trying to avoid the gentle touch of sunlight on sunny spring days such as this. It was on days like this one when she felt the most energized and her spirits rose to such heights, they threatened to lift her straight off the ground and she knew that if she didn't escape the dreary silence and stillness of the household, she wouldn't be able to contain her excitement and would explode in euphoria like a over-inflated helium balloon at the subtle prick of a needle head.

At last, her hand-made headdress was finished, and she carefully placed it atop her head, crowning herself Princess of the Wild and Beautiful as she did so. She smiled to herself; she liked that self-given title, and silently, made a mental note to keep it stored safely within her memory banks, perhaps for later usage. She sat quiet and cross-legged for a few minutes; trying to decide watch she could do next to entertain her as she continued to wait patiently for her pack to come out of their darkened dens.

She decided after much thought that she would head to the main house's large kitchen area, where she knew the lower-ranked pack members that belonged to the Branch Family, like her older cousin, would be there, cooking and preparing a fine feast of hardy stew, which would be served with whatever meat the pack's hunter brought back from their hunt that night. She was young, small and dainty, so she wouldn't be able to do much more than help make knead the dough and hand the chef's the small jars of spices from the lower shelves that were too hard for the bigger adult's to bend down and reach for, but within the grasp of someone her size.

Besides that, she knew they would never let her do any strenuous or difficult tasks, just because she was the daughter of the pack alphas, and although she sometimes wished they would let her do more, she was happy to help in any way she could, and she knew they were grateful for the small amount of work she could do, for even the slightest support would lessen the burden considerably for the constantly busy servants.

She stood up, brushing off the small amount of dirt that clung to her beautiful sapphire yukata, before hurrying off, eager at the prospect of lending a helping hand and suddenly yearning for the feelings of being needed and beneficial she knew working in the kitchen would give her.

The long anticipated hours of dusk were swiftly approaching, and as they did, vampires began to stir from their deep daytime slumber, and werewolves stretched their stiff muscles as they gradually regained their strength with every second that drew them closer to night, both groups were looking forward to the warm and reassuring embrace of darkness.

* * *

**I**n the mansion of the young boy, things were becoming more animated as slowly, small children, teenagers, young and middle-aged adults and elders groggily stepped out of their houses and into the inviting chilly night air. And then suddenly the grounds were alive with commotion as the vampires instantly felt completely rejuvenated upon stepping outside. The young boy smiled warmly, happy to see his kind up and about after all day of wandering the grounds in desolation.

He ran through the rapidly forming crowd of pale-skinned people steadily trickling out of their dwellings, swerving past small groups clustered together in conversation, and dodging oncoming balls thrown by playful little children who suddenly got the chance to have fun and play with their friends after spending all day cooped up inside where the few older kids that also stayed up could keep an eye on them while their parents slept.

He eventually managed to make it to a large stone brick house, generously covered in long green vines that had snaked their way up the walls over the years. It stood out among the other houses that surrounded it, so it was pretty hard to miss. Not only was it the biggest house in the gated community exclusively for clan members only, but it always seemed to be wrapped in a dark aura all its own, one that would make your stomach twist in anticipation for the worst the minute you reached the front porch.

This was his house, the place he'd called home since early infancy, when he first began to grasp the concept of what a home was. As he approached it, he felt the familiar feeling of despair well within him, and the tension that constantly enveloped the house taking his breath away, threatening to choke him, but he easily pushed past those feelings as he had grown accustom to them in the seven years of his existence. He slowly opened the old wooden door, which swung open with an eerie creaking sound.

Just like the outside of the house, its interior was also consumed in an almost suffocating sort of cryptic silence and the halls were shrouded an absolute darkness. He took a few more steps in. Now he was right in the midst of the darkness. But he had lived here long enough to know it wouldn't swallow him, though it might not have been official yet, he was still after all, a creature of night, and unlike normal humans, his eyes functioned perfectly in the dark and saw just as sharply as they did in the day.

"Mother," he called, "father! Brother! I'm home!" his voice echoed off the walls, his own words bouncing back to him as if they were a basketball. When he received no answer, he continued down the hall, calling out to them as he went. Finally, a dimly lit light at the end of the hall told him at least one of their locations. He quickly scampered toward the small light source like it would flicker and fade away if he didn't hurry to bask in its weak glow.

After reaching the end of the hall, he realized the light was caused by a steadily burning candle mounted in place on the wall, and that slowly but surely, its life force was fading, thus causing the illusion of the almost invisible light. He approached the door at the end of the hallway and knocked three times before allowing himself entry. Cautiously sticking his head in and gazing around the also dimly lit room, before carefully stepping in as if he were walking on thin ice instead of solid wood, and any minute the floorboards could crack and give way underneath him.

He saw a lone figure sitting in the center of a large bed on the other side of the room, legs crossed and eyes closed in what appeared to be deep concentration. The boy started to back out, realizing they were meditating, but a smooth, deep and penetrating voice as chillingly dark and solemn as the night itself called out to him, beckoning him nearer. And without really knowing what he was doing, he felt himself gravitating closer, absently and obediently doing as he was told.

"Little brother, you are finally home... welcome back…you've arrived just in time for the celebrations."

The boy nodded, returning the greeting before asking, "Brother, where are mother and father?"

"With the other adults, helping to prepare for the feast and festivities. They are the leaders of the clan, after all."

"Oh…" he said simply. "But then, why didn't _you _go? I'm sure they wanted _you_ to go along…They're _always_ asking _you_ to do things with them. _You're_ the pride and joy of the family, the next heir," He said this with just a little bit of bitterness in his voice, but if his elder brother had heard the change in his tone, he chose simply to ignore it.

"You should know by now that I am not one who does well when faced with large social gatherings, and I all but detest such things. Besides, I prefer to spend my time training privately, or meditating alone." he explained, his eyes finally opening to reveal two bottomless pits of ebony that matched his hair and mirrored the boy's own eyes.

"Now that you're awake, will you train with me?" the young boy asked hopefully.

His brother eyed him carefully, and the young boy felt himself falling prey to the composure and intensity held within those dark onyx eyes. Finally, when the boy thought he could stand the steely-eyed stare no longer, his brother broke through the uncomfortable silence. "I have important things I must attend to before the celebrations. I'm sorry, Sasuke, but I'm afraid I can't train with you tonight," he said solemnly, reaching out two fingers to jab his brother in the forehead, causing the younger boy to make a small grunt in pain before reaching up to rub the sore spot at the center of his forehead.

"Ouch! You always say 'I'm sorry, Sasuke, but I'm afraid I can't train with you tonight', then you turn right around and poke me in the forehead! You're always making up excuses! If you won't train with me tonight, then when will you ever be free to train?" Sasuke whined, pouting.

"When I am free for training you will be the first one to know about it." Itachi informed him. "Now go; practice throwing your weapons again. From what I've seen of the evidence on the trees in the yard, you could most definitely use it." He was referring to the marks carved into the wood of the trees from all the times Sasuke had completely missed his target and struck the bark instead of the bull's eye.

Sasuke scowled slightly, a light blush of embarrassment covering his cheeks, but said nothing, instead running to his own room and snatching up his training gear before dashing out the door and toward his destination, known by his people as the Forest of the Phoenix_._

* * *

**M**eanwhile, in the home of the pale-eyed young girl, the household was also buzzing with activity as the clan members began to stir from their sleep and preparations for the great hunt were well underway. Hinata was used to such commotion, even when there wasn't really anything to prepare for. To her, the small and often unnoticed heiress who only ever seemed to disappoint her parents and get in everyone's way, things always seemed to be moving at the speed of light and she always felt as if she was just too slow to keep up.

She desperately longed for the day when her clan's powerful bloodlines would become active, and she too could actively join in on the celebration, perhaps even leading the hunt for the infamous and ever illusive Great Gold-Tailed Deer, a sacred and legendary creature rumored to be as old as the earth itself and said to bring good fortune and prosperity to any of those lucky enough to savor its succulent meat. But the stag had been roaming the woods for centuries, nearly twice as long as her family had been living there, and it continued to go free, the blood in its veins flowing strong with the mystical abilities it'd been granted over the years and the vigor of a long-lived and blissful life.

No, this was definitely no ordinary creature, for its wisdom greatly surpassed even that of the most sagely Hyuga elder, and indeed its pelt was the rich color of silk spun from gold and brightened by the delicate beams of the warm, midday sun. The only thing anyone who pursued the grand beast ever caught was a quick glimpse of its shiny golden coat as it darted off into the underbrush, free to go on roving through the woods at its leisure, lucky enough to see the end to another day.

As Hinata had half-expected, when she entered into the house from the clan compound's bustling marketplace, she found the exterior of her home to be in just as much of an uproar as the rest of her surroundings. After miraculously managing to locate her father in the midst of all the commotion, she asked for permission to leave the house until the festivities officially began and her presence would be needed at the opening ceremony.

Of course, as she had fully expected, her request had been granted almost immediately, without her father even so much as stopping what he was doing, which was barking orders to the others, to spare her a passing glance. Once again his only, but soon to be first-born daughter had been pushed aside to occupy her normal place at the back of the House Head's mind. A second priority, a waste of time, energy and space in her father's opinion. A girl who would never amount to someone with the talents, strength and qualities being the clan leader required.

A disappointment that was quickly fading into the foliage that marked the start of the natural borderline, the forest far off in the distance…

**This is the end of the first part in the prelude. Yes, I've decided to break it into parts, because when I actually start on the first chapter, I want it to be set years later, when they're older and all the drama between their families really unfolds. So please, stay tuned 'til then. And of course: review, review, REVIEW!!**


	2. Prologue part two

**Uh...Hi again...I'm sorry it took so long for the update. Got a lot of other junk to do... so busy, so annoyed by being busy...But it's okay now, right? I promise I tried to make this chapter as long as possible, and the prelude's still not even done. So sorry if you're expecting me to skip right to the teen years right away. I like to take things so and let them develop properly. I hope you don't mind. One or two more chapters after this and then the early childhood chapters should be done. So I'll try to keep you entertained until then.**

**Please continue to support me by REVIEWING, okay? Thanks and enjoy another chapter written of course, by me.**

* * *

**Prologue**

**Part Two:**

_The Forest of Friendship and Itachi's Dark Premonition_

**H**inata was running through the woods happily, watching as the sky turned colors and enjoying the feeling of the cool autumn wind blowing softly against her face. She was having so much fun in fact, that she didn't watch where she was going, and soon ran into something warm, solid and soft, falling backwards with a small squeak.

Clutching her head and rubbing it tenderly, her eyes closed tightly, still bracing herself for the fall, Hinata heard a grunting sound coming from somewhere to her side, and her eyes shot open to see she had ran into a little boy about her age with pale skin and dark spiky hair wearing a navy blue t-shirt, khaki shorts and sneakers.

Fearing the worst, she was on her feet and rushing to his nside almost instantly, her eyes narrowed slightly in guilt, embarrassment and concern, her trademark blush stretched across her face.

"O-Oh, I'm s-s-so sorry! A-Are you a-a-alright?" she asked softly, going to reach out her hand and help him up. He stood, Hinata attempting to pull him with just a bit of difficulty, as he was just a bit bigger and taller than she was.

"Urgh…" he groaned. "Yeah, I think so. I just bumped my head that's all. It'll be fine soon." He gave her a small smile.

She bowed quickly all the same, smiling also. "T-T-That's good; I'm g-glad you're okay."

At this, the little boy's grin widened considerably, until it stretched almost from ear to ear."Heh, yeah…so what are you doing out here by yourself anyway? You don't look like you're dressed to play…"

Hinata looked away shyly, trying to think of exactly what to say. Despite being the heiress of a very well-known clan of werewolves, she didn't get the chance to associate with other kids her own age very often, "O-Oh, well, I…I c-come here to p-play by myself sometimes. And um, since my family's busy planning a very special event, my father told me to come here so I wouldn't get in anyone's way." she explained sheepishly.

"Really? My family's having a party tonight to! Well, it's actually more of a good luck celebration, before the big hunt starts, but I just call it a party because it always feels like one. Anyway, my name's Sasuke. What's yours?" he asked her excitedly.

"U-Um…I-It's H-Hinata…" she mumbled, looking away bashfully with a slight blush tinting her cheeks.

"That's a cute name. It fits you too." Sasuke stated, laughing a little.

Hinata's blush intensified tenfold at this compliment, and she raised one hand to her mouth while balling her other fist into the fabric of her kimono and wringing it nervously. "T-Thank you… I-I like y-y-your n-name too…" she whispered back.

Sasuke looked at her thoughtfully for a minute, then suddenly, as if an idea had come to him from out of the blue, he asked, "Hey, Hinata, do you wanna play for a while?"

Hinata remained silent, still covering her mouth with one fist and using the other to clutch her clothes. "Uh…y-yes…I w-would l-like t-that…very much."

"Okay! Then…tag, you're it!" Sasuke declared proudly, tapping Hinata lightly on the nose with one finger then running away while laughing merrily.

Hinata stared after him for a minute before blinking once and breaking out into an awkward run, "O-Oh! Please wait, Sasuke, I wasn't ready!" she called, running after him frantically.

The young werewolf and the vampire played for the rest of the evening, straight on through midnight, when finally, they stopped to rest, and it was then that the moon-eyed girl noticed the time. "Oh!" she exclaimed, "I didn't know it was so late already! I have to get home, my father will have noticed I'm missing and everyone in my household will be panicked if I don't turn up soon."

Sasuke, though saddened and disappointed at the thought of them having to part ways, nodded his head in understanding, realizing that he should probably be heading home as well. "Yeah, I should probably get going, too," he agreed.

So they set off together through the forest, simply enjoying each other's company and embraced in the warmth of a comfortable silence. When they finally reached the borderlines, where they knew they'd have to part ways, they turned to each other, smiling halfheartedly and saying purposely extended good-byes.

As Sasuke turned to go his way, and Hinata hers, they suddenly both stopped mid-step, simultaneously, overwhelmed by the feeling of sadness at having to leave their new friend behind. "Sasuke," she whispered softly, as if speaking any louder would cause the fragile balance of the moment to break and the boy whose name she had uttered to disappear.

"Yeah?" he replied in a voice that was equally as quiet.

"D-Do you think m-maybe w-w-we c-could meet back up here again tomorrow?"

She'd turned to face him, but he still had his back turned to her, perhaps to cover the wide, gleeful smile that adorned his pale face. The one his small, yet strong sense of stubborn pride would not allow him to show, not even to a newly made friend. "It's like you read my mind," he told her, making sure to keep his emotions in check and his tone of voice composed, just as his brother Itachi did.

Although he still didn't dare turn around to face her, he could _feel_ the happiness radiating off of her in waves, and though he tried his best to hide it, he was sure she could feel his own excitement slowly leaking through. Although, inside it was more like a flood, rushing through him and drowning him in the very feeling of his own bliss. "Okay, then! See you tomorrow, Sasuke!" she chirped happily.

"Yeah, see ya!" he replied; this time he was unable to keep the pure feeling of joy from seeping out into his voice. And then they each went their own ways, the silent promise of meeting up the next day lingering on in their heads, feeling them up with warmness and delight and guiding them like a candle on the dark journey home.

Just as they said they would the two met up in the woods the next day, and the day after that, and so it continued. They'd spend the whole day running through the woods, playing and laughing and talking and hanging on to every minute of every hour, dreading the time when the dawn would arrive, and their fun would come to an end. Neither Sasuke nor Hinata could ever remember feeling so happy, care-free or simply, so alive.

Because both of their families slept through the day until twilight, they were free to spend the whole day together, doing as they pleased, often breaking off their playtime to go and greet their families as they awakened from their deathlike slumbers--- and so as not to arouse any suspicions--- before quickly rushing back to meet up and resume playing again. They slept for short periods of the day sometimes going home to take naps, snacking when they felt hungry, and pausing to rest when they grew weary and weak.

The two had so carefully planned out their time together, that hardly anyone noticed the difference in their regular routines, or more importantly, their behaviors. In fact, all but one had turned a blind eye to the pair… or more specifically, the onyx-eyed little boy.

As the days went on an insightful and inquisitive older brother found himself steadily growing more and more curious as to what was causing the change in his brother's usual activities. And so, he decided to do some personal investigating and find out what was going on for himself. It was easy for him to get up and follow his younger brother one morning. After all, the elder Uchiha brother had been known to keep some very odd hours himself.

What with training and meditating and scheduling in some alone time, it was no wonder he was always so busy and never had time to train with his younger brother. He had no trouble shadowing the clueless young boy as he went about his merry way, completely oblivious to the fact that his brother had secretly followed him, lurking quietly in the shadows.

He watched from the safety of the treetops as Sasuke met Hinata at the border of the great forest, as he did every morning, and they immediately set out to playing and exploring as had become the duo's routine. '_So this is where you've been these days…_' he thought.

He continued to watch them straight on until midday, never blinking or moving a muscle, his intensive training having taught him how to remain focused and help build up his stamina and endurance. And finally, when they paused to have a rest, he decided it was time to go back to his own agenda, and that he'd seen enough. As he jumped from treetop to treetop with the grace and agility of a swan in flight, his eyes narrowed dangerously at the thought of his brother befriending and playing with the timid young girl.

He could tell from her pale lavender eyes and the family crest he'd seen neatly sewn on the back of her yukata that she was from the Hyuga clan, and judging by the fine fabrics the yukata she'd been wearing was made out of she was most likely from the Main Branch, a high-ranking and important member said to have the purest of bloodlines. He knew that the youngsters' growing relationship would inevitably cause trouble and possibly even further the friction between the two rivaling clans.

And though he knew he had a moral duty to report his findings to the leader, head of the clan, his father, he decided he wouldn't. He had never seen Sasuke so happy before, and didn't want him to go back to being the sulky, lonely little boy he once was before. Itachi knew he could be in just as much trouble as Sasuke, should it be discovered that he knew about the bond spawning between the young heirs and didn't say or do anything about it.

But after seeing Sasuke laughing, and smiling, and having so much fun--- fun he himself was never allowed to have growing up under the watchful eyes of his clan and his overbearing father--- he couldn't bring himself to take it all away from his younger brother as it had so unfairly been taken away from him.

'_I will do everything within my power to keep your friendship a secret, Sasuke. I promise as your older brother on my honor as an Uchiha.'_ he swore to himself, silently.

And so every day when Sasuke would head down to the woods to meet Hinata, Itachi would go with him, secretly of course, keeping a watchful eye on the playing pair from the concealment of the shadows, and the other on their surroundings, watching out for any signs that anyone but them was prowling around the forest, ready to spring into action and chase them off or lead them away from the pair's favorite spot: a small grove of assorted tall trees near the center of the woods that provided an adequate amount of shade, shelter, and hiding spots, if necessary.

Things went smoothly for a time, but as Itachi had predicted, and dreaded from the start, the peace of their play was not to be permanent, and the fragile balance that held things together and kept them flowing on as they were was about to be broken…


End file.
